The Washington critic., 1887-03-29
WASHINGTON, MARCH 90, 1887.
rBr CITIZENS MOVEMENT.

lDGe lllNl lRt lnONtHlthN NhlSh nus poch
started In several sections of the city,
with commendable earncslncss, towards
the formation OF local associations for
the promotion of local interests, should
be carried on until the entire field Is
covered and central representative
organization established, in pursuance
of the generally expressed wish of the
people.
The idea Of constituting such com.
mi,tee through the medium Of n mass.
meeting was shown tn be unsatisfactory
and impracliclblc ON the first attempt
in that direction some months ago: but
the plan since proposed ot organizing a
Citizens Association pf NCly 0r . hun.
dred members, consisting of a certain
proportion nf delegates from different
parts of the city and county or chosen
by their respective organizations, is
obviously feasible and unqucstionably
just to all.
Assuming that this IA the proper
scheme To he ultimately decided on aud
put into operation, we would suggest
that the element of time is something
net to he overlooked in this matter.
The District is always losing more
or less, by the dilaioriness Of its repre-.
SCI tatives at the Capitol II should
take special pains not 10 be caught In
The same fault itself. Let the work,
then, which has been, in some quar-.
tiers, so well begun, be pushed with
yigor and what has been so long
talked of, he made an accomplished
fact.
There is a great deal which ought to
he done for the District at the next
session of Congress, and there is n
great deal which will fail to be done,
unless 1t is shaped up beforehand
The various local associations will, of
course agree, each for itself, upon such
measures as pertain to their Immediate
local affairs, and about which there
can arise no sectional conflict but all
questions of a general character should
be referred to the Central Association
for consideration and action. The
spOutli tHCIcluIcs lHls uSsOClullOu Is
created, the better for all, as it may re
quire several months to formulate
policies and perfect desired legislation
for presentation TO the committees of
the Senate and House,
There will be differences Of opinion
to harmoniZe, conflicts of interest TO
adjust, much time to be consumed in
discussion, and 1t will never do to post
ponc all this preliminary work till late
next fall. The machinery OF the Dis.
trct organizations should be got into
good working order by The first OF May
if possible-Ccrtainly by the first of
June-and the Central Committee
should hold frequent and regular meet.
ings right along, until all matters 10
which the District is concerned are
thoroughly clnvassed aud harmonized,
such as the selection of site for the
new City POstoillCe and District build.
ings, the increased efficiency Of the
police force and fire department, the
extension Of avenues and streets, the
regulation of the liquor traffic and
everything that affects Tue general vel.
fare,
Then, when Congress meets, the
District committees, instead of being
besieged by half dozen wrangling
factions, can be waited upon by an or.
derly depntation from the Citizens
Association and presented with an in
telligible programme of the Legislation
that has been agreed upon as desirable
which Congress will accept as truly
expressive Of the public sentiment OF
the District. All quarrcls having beer
settled in advance, there will be nj
contentious TO disturb the worl
of the committees afterwards
no contests for precedence. no tilibus
tering one measure out to make room
for another, and no distractions thrown
in the way of early and satisfactor,
aCtion.
Is II not worth the while of the cit
liens of Washington to 20 to worl
energetlcally and 1T once in order t
reach results like these, which ar
neither fanciful nor impossible, bu
eminently practical and practicable
THE Commissioners having the Law
before them are to be commended fo
insisting upon its enforcement. tn
liqu' dealers having the same law be
fore them are only to he commende
for honestly obeyiug its mandate,
Otherwise they lay themselves open t
the rcproach Of not being law ablin
ciliZtus, and are entitled to no sympl
thy, If, by violation or evasion of Il,
law, they subject themselves to penalt,
The question is no longer whether I'll
DarIodms, under certain restriction
might not be opened ms well on Slnda
as any other day. II is not wheth,
the law declaring that they shall /
closed on that day shall he enforced {
ignored. There IS no whether aboJ
II. The Commissioners say that
shall be enforced, and that leaves I'll
dealer but one course to follow, If i
wants to retain his license. lie has II
option but to shut up his bar, aud II
sooner he accepts the inevitable Il
better for his peace of mind and h
pocketbook, Sunday liquor sellln
in Washington is thing of the pas
TnE CRITIC is in receipt of a con
munlcation from Marie Rowland, OF
of the editors of The CredH FoHcicj'
SiHalod, published OF Hammonton, }
j., requesting us sin the interest {
truth and decency" to correct what W